


A Safe Space in Your Heart

by Sparrowlicious



Series: Huxloween 2020 - Werewolf Kylo and fox shapeshifter Hux [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Fox Armitage Hux, Fox shapeshifter Armitage Hux, Huxloween 2020, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Werewolf Kylo Ren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:02:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26747782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparrowlicious/pseuds/Sparrowlicious
Summary: Hux knows what it's like to live in the streets so when he catches Kylo Ren digging through the trash at the restaurant he works at he can't help but offer him something to eat. What he didn't expect was for the man to be a werewolf.
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Huxloween 2020 - Werewolf Kylo and fox shapeshifter Hux [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947427
Comments: 14
Kudos: 72
Collections: Huxloween 2020





	A Safe Space in Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

> The first one of a hopefully longer series of fics for Huxloween 2020. This one uses the prompts of Day 5: Werewolf and Day 8: Were-Animals. <3

Hux’s breath turned to mist as he opened the backdoor and took a step outside with the trash bags in hand. Behind him the sounds of the restaurant lulled out of the door together with the warm air.

There was a sound behind the building, near the trash cans, he could see the shadow of a person opening one of the big dumpsters. Hux put down his bags and opened his mouth to shout but then he stopped himself before he could say anything. Somehow he was reminded of himself, the time after his father had thrown him out of the house and before he met Maz who had given him work and a home. He was painfully aware there were others like him.

“Hey! Do you want a sandwich?” he said to the stranger. The stranger let the dumpster fall shut and as he approached Hux could tell something was definitely wrong with him. The guy was huge and …

Hux stared. It was a huge werewolf who walked over to him on two legs, took the trash bags and carried them to the dumpster where he put them in. As he walked back the werewolf’s huge form melted away to reveal a man who was just a bit taller than Hux. He looked rough, his clothes were rugged, full of holes and definitely not warm enough for the season. Hux’s ears prickled at the sight of the transformation but even more so when he saw how handsome the man was.

“I’d like a sandwich,” the stranger said, his voice still a bit husky. Hux nodded dumbly before he turned on his heel and fled back into the restaurant, his heart was beating in his mouth.

When he returned to the kitchen Maz was already there. The old, small woman looked him over, adjusted her glasses and said:

“Boy, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“There’s a… uh,” Hux could hardly believe what he was about to say, “a werewolf by the dumpsters. I think. I offered him a sandwich.” His own hands were still shaking but Maz looked perfectly unfazed.

“Ah, that’s the Solo boy. You can take a break if you like, fix yourself and him up something to eat,” Maz said. She reached up and patted him on the arm before she turned her back on him and left, back to the dining area. Hux stared after her for a second but then shook himself out of his initial shock and went to work, their cook glancing at him every now and again without commenting on it.

Hux ended up with a nice stack of sandwiches, two for himself, four for the werewolf.

When Hux returned to the open back door the werewolf already sat on the step, his body slightly twisted as he watched for Hux’s return.

“I didn’t know what you liked so I put cheese and ham in them,” Hux said as he sat down next to the man.

“Thank you,” the stranger said. He picked up one of the sandwiches and started eating. Hux copied him. They were quiet for a while and Hux thought to himself that this wasn’t so bad.

“I’m Kylo Ren,” the stranger eventually said between his second and third sandwich.

“I’m Hux.”

They sat there for a little while longer. It was peaceful despite the sounds from the restaurant at their backs. The moon was visible through the clouds, round and bright next to the twinkling stars. Hux was deep in thought as he sat there, forgetting the time. He was once like Kylo, without a place to belong. And then Maz gave him a free meal, one thing had led to another and eventually Hux had become employed at the restaurant, with a roof over his head to boot.

Maz’s Castle was a laid-back place but the building was old. Hux had a knack for fixing almost everything, so he wasn’t just a waiter there but also the person who took care of broken things, no matter what they were. Or at least he tried. Most of the time he could at least get things to run for a while longer. And he was grateful for it, because living in the streets had been hard on him. Hux was half-starved when Maz had found him, not that there had been much meat on his bones to begin with. He didn’t even know back then when the last time he had a hot bath even was.

“Do you want to take a shower at my place?” Hux said thoughtlessly. Kylo gave him a scandalized look before he lifted one of his arms to smell at himself.

“Are you saying I stink?” he said with a huff.

“It’s just, I know what it’s like to wait at the shelter only to get told that they’re already full,” Hux said quietly. Those nights he had to find a place to sleep somewhere safe had been torture. He sniffed slightly, wondering if he upset Kylo enough to leave. It wasn’t that he liked him, he didn’t even know him but for some reason Hux felt as if he needed to help Kylo. Maybe it was guilt because he was lucky enough to find a nice place and Kylo apparently didn’t. Maybe it was because he was a little tired and had been on his legs for too long. But then he looked over to Kylo and thought he was beautiful despite everything and maybe Hux had grown a bit lonely over time when it came to certain things, not that he expected them of Kylo. Not right now anyway.

“I could use a shower. It’s been cold outside,” Kylo said eventually. His smile lighted up his entire face and Hux could feel himself flush.

Hux cleared his throat, suddenly aware of the time. He got to his feet and Kylo followed suit but he stood at the threshold of the door, waiting, not daring to enter properly without being invited.

“Oh, I live above the restaurant,” Hux said, suddenly aware he had omitted this crucial detail. “I’m sure you can wait back here until I’m done with work if that’s okay? Let’s close the door first.”

He ushered him in and while Hux thought he himself would look terribly uncomfortable there on the spot, Kylo didn’t seem to mind. At least it was warm in here. The second Hux was out of the hallway he took a deep breath before he returned to the cozy dining area. Their usual patrons were still hanging about but their most popular hours were already over. Hux wasn’t the only waiter around but even with Maz socializing with their guests there wasn’t really a lot to do. It was late anyway.

Hux took a tray and went about clearing off tables where patrons had already left in the time he had taken his break. There wasn’t a lot of work to do so he used the opportunity to wipe some of the tables down.

When he and Maz were both standing at the bar, he told her about Kylo and how he had invited him up to his place later.

“Kid, you can go up if you want. Dopheld is helping me lock up tonight anyway, you didn’t have to stay down here this long,” she said and reached up to pat his cheek which wasn’t an easy feat and required Hux to bend down.

“Are you sure?” Hux said. Sometimes Hux thought Mitaka didn’t know how to hold down the fort. Maybe it was silly of him to think that way but the man looked like everything made him nervous. But it would be okay. It always turned out okay.

Maz gave him a look and he knew he shouldn’t have asked.

“Fine. Good night Maz,” he said. She gave him a warm look before turning back to talk to some of the few remaining guests. Hux pulled off his apron which he deposited somewhere behind the bar before he went to the back of the restaurant where Kylo was still waiting near the back door.

“Come on, we’ll go upstairs,” Hux said with a tiny wave of his hand. Kylo didn’t say anything but followed him along through one of the staff rooms to a door he had to unlock to get to the stairs. Their journey up there was equally quiet, at least until they slipped through Hux’s door.

Hux flipped on the light to reveal his apartment which was one room with a separate room for the bathroom. Nothing too fancy. It was better than living on the streets. It was warm, dry and nice.

“Well, bathroom is over here,” he said and motioned to the one door. “My couch is my bed so if you like to stay the night we have to share the bed.”

Kylo gave him a thoughtful look.

“You’re making it sound as if you don’t want me to go,” he said.

The heat was rising again in Hux’s cheeks.

“I mean, if you want you can stay the night I just … I thought you might hate having to sleep next to me.”

He couldn’t help but feel stupid, somewhat offended even at absolutely nothing. But Kylo smiled at him and it did something to Hux. There was a quiet laugh that fell from his lips before he disappeared into the bathroom. Hux stood rooted on the spot until he heard the water turn on, then his only concern was finding some clothes for Kylo which wasn’t an easy task. Even when he looked at things he knew were too big for him he found it unlikely they might fit. Where Kylo was broad and muscular, Hux was just a thin slip of a man despite his towering height. Still, he pulled out the biggest shirt he had and a pair of pants he only ever wore on Thanksgiving to make space for his food-filled belly. He took the opportunity to change into some more comfortable clothes himself and to pull out his couch properly. At least they would have space next to each other this way. An additional blanket and pillow made the bed complete. Hux found himself sitting on the edge, TV remote in hand as he flipped through the channels for something boring to watch after he turned off all lights except a lamp next to his pullout couch. Not that he really needed the TV to sleep but a distraction was nice to have when sharing his bed with a stranger. Still, he only put the volume on low since he knew the walls weren’t exactly thick even if he knew Maz would never spy on him.

Tension rose when the water turned off, Hux sat stiffly on the bed.

Kylo left the bathroom only in a towel wrapped around his hips and with an additional smaller one which he rubbed his hair with. Hux’s jaw dropped at the sight of Kylo’s mostly naked body. He swallowed quickly, then scrambled to press the clothes he had found into Kylo’s hands.

“Here, I don’t know if those will fit but they’re clean,” he said quickly, then turned around so Kylo could change into the dry clothes in peace.

“A bit tight but it will do,” Kylo said after a moment and Hux saw just how tight the clothes looked on him a second later. Still, he looked good in them.

Hux got into bed and under the blankets on one side as he nervously looked over to Kylo.

“I know it’s weird but...”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kylo said and joined him. He kept his distance as he lay back and rested his head on the pillow. He took a deep breath which he let out in a deep, satisfied sigh.

“I could get used to this,” he said quietly. Hux couldn’t help but watch him for a moment before he too rested against the pillow, the soft sound of the TV playing in the background. Slowly his eyes slipped shut. The quite murmur lulled Hux to sleep.

* * *

Hux wasn’t quite awake yet when he found himself turned on his side, pressed into something warm and solid. He sniffed a little, the scent of something like a dog or wolf was in his nose, something soft touched his leg. He blinked awake, suddenly aware of who was next to him and what was happening with his body. Hux tried to inch back a little, get his arm which he had flung over Kylo’s chest back without disturbing him. He couldn’t will his tail away in time as he heard Kylo chuckle besides him.

“It’s quite alright. I already knew what you were last night,” Kylo said. Hux looked over to him, well aware his tail was still wriggling around his leg even if it was getting smaller. With one hand he shyly reached up to feel at his ears which weren’t human anymore, but instead they were shaped like two furred triangles that extended from his head. He flicked them voluntarily as he sat up.

Maybe he was silly to feel vulnerable about this, knowing how Kylo wasn’t exactly completely human himself. And yet it felt weird to be this exposed. It happened so fast.

“You know, your ears were out last night when I approached you,” Kylo said. Hux put his hands in front of his face with a groan.

“Seriously?” he said. “Anyone could’ve seen that.”

“Only I saw it, don’t worry, they went back almost immediately,” Kylo said. He put one of his warm, big hands on Hux’s shoulder which trembled ever so slightly. Hux tried reasoning with himself that it would be alright, he wasn’t in any danger. Maz kept him safe and Kylo had seen and didn’t try to hurt him, not right now anyway. And yet he couldn’t help but feel defenseless.

“I know it’s none of my business but… are you going to be alright?” Kylo said. He moved closer into Hux’s space, his arm warm and solid at his back.

Hux took a deep breath before he looked up at Kylo.

“I’m fine. It’s just not something I want other people to know if I can help it,” he said. Unfortunately Hux couldn’t stop himself from halfway transforming in his sleep sometimes. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence so he had hoped it wouldn’t happen.

“I get it,” Kylo said with a shrug. He didn’t remove his arm just yet and Hux found he liked it that way.

“I’d hope so with you being a werewolf,” Hux said. A chuckle escaped him but then he got serious since the feeling of dread was still at the back of his mind.

“I hid this for many many years from my family but when they found out they kicked me out. I was without money, without a home. And then Maz took me in, gave me a place to live and work.” He sniffled a little. “I was lucky.”

“Yeah, that’s really lucky,” Kylo said. They were looking at each other for a quiet moment in which Hux was painfully aware how close their faces were.

Kylo’s stomach growled.

“You know,” Hux said while he untangled himself from Kylo’s hold. “I usually eat breakfast downstairs with Maz. I bet she wouldn’t mind if you tagged along.”

Kylo smiled at him.

“I’d like that,” he said.


End file.
